ORLANDO, Fla. – If you thought winter was done with Central Florida, think again. Another blast of cold air settles in Monday night.
While it won’t be as long or as bitterly cold as the deep freeze we saw in late January, some precautions should be taken.
[VIDEO BELOW: Florida forecast from Candace Campos]
How tonight compares to deep freeze
In late January, many areas across Central Florida dipped into the 20s for extended stretches, severely damaging crops, tropical plants and many yards across the area.
Latest temperature models hint at overnight lows dipping to near freezing in spots in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties. Luckily, a hard or prolonged freeze like January’s is not expected.
Cities northwest of I-4 could see a stretch of two-to-four hours at or just below freezing. Some of these areas include Ocala and Coleman.
Heading south across inland counties, areas like Leesburg, Orlando and Sanford will have a quick shot of dipping for to the freezing mark for an hour or so.
Along the coast, Volusia county will also have a chance to hit the freezing point, with a higher chance for those further inland.
The only area not included in the freeze warning is coastal Brevard as temperatures are expected to run just above freezing most of Tuesday morning.
Freeze Warning in Effect
Because lows will flirt with the freezing mark early Tuesday, the National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for most of Central Florida. Nearly all inland counties are included, with the exception of coastal Brevard County early Tuesday.
Unfortunately, with many plants and crops still struggling to recover, even a short burst of frost and freezing temperatures could prove deadly for some.
Best Timing to Protect Plants
If you still have plants outside that have survived the Florida winter so far, Monday afternoon is your best window to take action. Cover them with blankets, sheets, frost cloth or bring potted plants inside, if possible.
Protection of Pipes
Unlike the January freeze that had many worrying about burst pipes and plumbing issues, significant pipe damage is not expected this time around. Temperatures just won’t stay cold long enough or fall low enough to create widespread plumbing trouble, especially compared to that deeper freeze earlier in the season.
Drought Conditions
Central Florida is facing extreme drought conditions.
After our latest cold front yanked a thick plume of dry air over us, we’re at one of the most critical fire risks so far this season. We have to work together to avoid setting anything ablaze, not only for our own sake, but especially nature’s sake.
Next weekend, computer models are trying to highlight a pattern switch that could land us a couple DAYS of rain. Not only a single event, but actual rainfall that may ebb and flow between Friday and Sunday.
These counties are currently under a burn ban.
Cold Weather Shelters
With temperatures dipping near freezing, several cold weather shelters are opening across the region. If you or someone you know needs a warm place to stay, click here for the updated list of locations.
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Ana-C
Here is the original pic before the night sky turned purple.